Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocket Transportation

For Teachers 4th - 9th
Students use problem solving skills to lift a load using a balloon rocket. They construct a rocket out of a balloon and use it to carry a paper clip payload.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Calorimetry

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate calorimetry and set up equipment to measure calories. In this calorimetry lesson plan, students make a calorimeter and compare large amounts of heated water with small amounts to show the difference in calories....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Staying Up

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Young scholars will explain the Archimedes's Principle. In this lesson on plankton, students will describe three factors that can affect the buoyancy of plankton. This lesson contains extensive background information, extensions, and...
Lesson Plan
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Constancy and Change

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders identify three forms of matter- solids, liquids, and gases with 100% accuracy. They observe what happens when they try to put two kinds of matter into the same space and conclude that solids, liquids, and gases occupy space.
Lesson Plan
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How a Liquid Changes to a Gas

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders identify three forms of matter- solids, liquids, and gases with 100% accuracy. They observe water evaporating from an open container and water evaporating and condensing in a closed container. The students assess that a...
Lesson Plan
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Surface Friction and Wear Characteristics of Common Materials

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify the factors affecting friction. In this physics lesson, students construct their own rocket car and race them. They graph the average speeds and discuss how lubricants affect friction between rubbing surfaces.
Lesson Plan
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Going the Distance

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young scholars experiment in small groups to answer the question, "Is there a relationship between ramps and speed?" They apply a formula to calculate the speed of the cars used in the experiment, complete the associate lab report, and...
Lesson Plan
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"Graphing Your Motion"

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the concepts of motion, velocity, and acceleration through graphing their own movement using LoggerPro. They explain the difference between speed and velocity using the weather vane example. They discover the difference...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rules of Force and Motion

For Teachers K - 5th
Students view a video and complete experiments with force and motion.  In this force and motion instructional activity, students examine small pieces and how they affect the motion of a toy car.  Students also experiment with...
Lesson Plan
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Gel Electrophoresis

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students conduct a variety of experiments to explore gel electrophoresis. In this biology lesson, explain how this process separate DNA and RNA. They discuss the practical applications of this method.
Lesson Plan
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Kinetic Energy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are able to solve kinetic energy problems. They are introduced to kinetic energy. Students are shown examples of how to solve kinetic energy problems using the formula: Velocity= Distance/Time.
Lesson Plan
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Don't Crack Humpty

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students investigate the engineering design process and the relationship between distance, time, and speed. Using a generic car base, small groups design a device that will protect an egg on or in the car as it is rolled down a ramp at...
Lesson Plan
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Electromagnets

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore electricity by completing a scientific worksheet in class. In this electromagnetism lesson plan, students discuss the history of magnets and how electromagnets are most commonly used in our daily lives. Students complete...
Lesson Plan
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Marine & Aquatic Habitats Activities - Terrestrial Forests vs. Kelp Forests

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discuss concept and specificity of habitats, both marine and terrestrial, list similarities and differences in the habitats of a kelp forest and a terrestrial forest, compare types of organisms that occupy corresponding types of...
Worksheet
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AP Chemistry Thermochemistry 2

For Students 10th - 12th
In this thermochemistry worksheet, students solve a variety of problems including finding heats or reactions, determining specific heats of substances, finding the amount of energy released in a calorimeter determining the final...
Worksheet
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How Much are You Worth?

For Students 9th - 12th
In this body elements worksheet, students use a table given the percentage of each element that composes the body to find their worth. The value of each element is given and students calculate what their bodies would be worth if they...
Lesson Plan
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Just How Thick is Aluminum Foil Anyway???

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students determine the density and thickness of a piece of aluminum foil. In this density and thickness of materials lesson plan, students experimentally find the density of a piece of aluminum foil and compare it to the theoretical...
Lesson Plan
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Center of Gravity

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders conduct experiments to identify the center of gravity. In this gravity lesson, 4th graders do two hands-on experiments to increase their understanding of this concept. This self-discovery lesson provides students with the...
Lesson Plan
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Will It Sink or Float?

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students perform experiments to see if items will sink or float. In this sink or float lesson, students work in groups to make predictions, and record the results. After the experiments are complete students make a book of the results.
Lesson Plan
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What Influences Reaction Rate?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers study reaction rates, what determines how fast a reaction happens and how the chemical changes occur.  In this reactions lesson students complete a lab where they use Alka-Seltzer to observe reaction rate and create...
Lesson Plan
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Creature Feature

For Teachers 5th - Higher Ed
Learners make detailed observations and identify an unknown using descriptions.  In this observation lesson students are given a creature and must be able to identify it by species and genus.
Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Measuring Earthquakes

For Teachers 4th - 8th
After a brief discussion on earthquakes, make a makeshift seismograph to record the shaking of the table that it sits upon. While the background information will be useful to you as a teacher, the seismograph does not seem like it would...
Worksheet
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Matter

For Students 7th - 10th
In this matter worksheet, students unscramble 11 terms associated with the different forms of matter and how matter is measured.
Lesson Plan
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Computer Science: Pendulum

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Learners investigate the basic properties of pendulums as a function of spreadsheets. Working in groups, they measure the period for a pendulum at six different lengths and record the results. They prepare a file using Microsoft Excel...